Best Keto Moussaka
This Keto moussaka is a satisfying and delicious dish. It offers generous servings and freezes well. But most of all it is delicious and tastes like the original moussaka.
Equipment
- a medium-sized oven dish
Ingredients
- 750 g lamb ground meat or a combination of pork and beef ground meat
- 4 medium-sized eggplants
- 1 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can chopped tomato
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cups olive oil for frying the eggplant slices
- 3-4 garlic cloves diced
- 50 g butter
- 100 g cream cheese
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon dry spearmint
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/355°F.
Prepare the meat sauce.
- Peel the onion and garlic and dice them finely. Heat oil in a large saucepan on the hob and sauté the chopped onion for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sweet paprika to the pan and saute it for a few seconds. Add the rest of the dry spices. Stir and sauté for another couple of seconds.
- Place the ground meat in the pan. Break lumps of meat with a spoon and stir to combine with the spices. Saute uncovered until most of the liquid from the ground meat has evaporated, and brown the meat.
- Add the tomato paste and stir to mix.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and stir to mix. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper. If the sauce is thin, cook for 5-10 minutes longer without the lid to reduce and thicken the sauce.
Prepare the eggplants/aubergines.
- Wash the eggplants/aubergines and remove the green parts. Do not peel the eggplants/aubergines.
- Cut the eggplants/aubergines into 1.5 cm slices.
- Place the eggplant/aubergine slices on a large plate or a tray, sprinkle with salt and leave them to sweat for 10-15 minutes and release their bitter juice.
- You can saute the eggplants/aubergines on the hob or in the oven.On the hob: Heat oil in a large heavy-based pan to a high temperature and saute the eggplant slices for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. In the oven: Arrange a single layer of eggplant/aubergine slices on a large tray and sauté in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 200°C/392°F.
Make the cheese sauce.
- In a saucepan, heat the cream, butter and cream cheese and stir until the butter melts.
- Add the mozzarella and the cheddar cheese and stir to combine. Remove the saucepan from the hob and leave it on the side.
Assemble the moussaka.
- Arrange a layer of eggplant/aubergine slices on the bottom of an oven dish. Spread meat sauce evenly over the eggplant/aubergine layer.
- Arrange another layer of eggplant slices on top of the meat sauce. Finish with a thin layer of tomato sauce.
- Pour the cheese sauce on top of the assembled moussaka. Spread it evenly with a spoon or a spatula.
Cook the moussaka.
- Place the mousaka in the middle of the hot oven and cook for 35-40 minutes.